Cosmos Warriors etched their names into traditional cricketing folklore with a convincing 31-run win over Pak Land to notch their first Pakistan Premier League title at its fifth edition on October 14.

Even the persistent drizzle did little in dooming the day with the players and officials, equally pumped up to deliver a fitting finale to what had been a memorable season of thrilling tape-bal cricket.

Crowd favourites Pak Land had a smooth campaign enroute to outlasting Khan XI by 18 runs in the semifinal whereas Cosmos Warriors ensured there would be no upset at the last four hurdle with a 36-run triumph over ‘big hitters’ Afridi XI.

But in the do-or-die final, Pak Land had themselves to blame for the no-show. Their star man Zohaib Butt, who picked up the Man of Series gong, was the villain when he dropped Cosmos Warriors’ star man Taimoor Mirza off the first ball of the match.

Mirza rode his luck and tonked the opposition into submission with a 20-ball half century of 62 runs as Cosmos set 108 for 4. Umer Bhai added 22 off 11 and Cricket Cranes vice captain Brian Masaba stroked one six in his five-ball cameo of 12 with none of the bowlers managing any impressive figures.

Then when Pak Land needed quick runs, none of their top six going with Butt (14 off 7), Tahir Nazir (6 off 2), Ali Malik (5 off 12), national captain Roger Mukasa (7 off 4), Jamshed Mughal (0 off 1) and Umair Iftikhar (1 off 3) all falling cheaply.

Tail-ender Cricket Cranes all-rounder Emmanuel Isaneez (24 off 8) stood tall but never matched his understudy in the other dugout Kenneth Waiswa, whose figures of 4 for 10 in 2 overs, ensured Pak Land couldn’t score more than 68 runs when it mattered most to confirm Cosmos Warriors 30-run triumph. Twelve teams to part this season.

Aziz Damani-Masaka SS and Olila High School Cricket Clubs continued to enjoy fine form in the Mehta Women’s Twenty20 Premier League round-robin phase with flawless victories on Saturday.

Leaders Damani added to their 169-point tally with eight-wicket and 79-run victories over KICC in Entebbe. And holders Olila found it pretty against old guard Wanderers, winning 169 and 125 runs in the morning and afternoon encounters at the University Oval in Kyambogo.

Damani and Olila were separated by nine points after six matches heading into Saturday’s duels. And their commanding displays imply they will be the top seeds come the semi-finals.

For Damani, experienced Kenyan Margaret Banja was the star of the morning win thanks to her 14-ball 19 that ably got her side meet KICC’s 48-run target in 6.2 overs.

But UK-bound Immaculate Nakisuyi took charge of the afternoon with standout bowling figures of 4/12 in her four-over spell as they stopped KICC at 67-9 in pursuit of Damani’s 146-8.

That figure piled up courtesy of Irene Alumo (42 off 45) and Consy Aweko (26* off 17).For holders Olila, Wanderers barely put up a challenge in all departments.“We had little to do for the wins,” Olila’s Racheal Ntono said.

In the morning, Joyce Mary Apio (55 off 26) and Janet Mbabazi (52 off 41) secures half-tons as Olila set 189-5. In response, Wanderers was bowled out for a paltry 20 runs in 10 overs with Apio (4/2 in 4 overs) and Kevin Amuge (3/14 in 4 overs) bowling for fun.

Mbabazi would against make 69 off 65, helping Olila to 171-5 but her former club withered at 46 all-out in 14 overs.

Victory. Leaders Damani added to their 169-point tally with eight-wicket and 79-run victories over KICC in Entebbe. And holders Olila found it pretty against old guard Wanderers, winning 169 and 125 runs in the morning and afternoon encounters at the University Oval in Kyambogo.

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There were no over-the-top celebrations as Uganda outmuscled Kenya by 69 runs in the highly-billed East African derby played at the Nairobi Jaffreys Sports Club Oval at the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) Africa U-19 World Cup Qualifier yesterday.

But no one should be fooled. The Baby Cricket Cranes know a thing or two about partying hard. But as the Kenyans jogged around the field for their warm down, skipper Kenneth Waiswa summoned the team for a huddle and quick prayer. They then sat on the oval infront of Uganda’s dugout for a team meeting to review the day’s performance with coaches; Franco Otieno, Jackson Ogwang, Steve Tikolo and David Obuya.

On their faces, it was visible they were happy they had got one over the old enemy but were not about to celebrate in the Kenyans’ faces because the job is only half done with another full round of fixtures to play starting today against Botswana, who suffered their third consecutive defeat after Ghana mauled them by six wickets at the Gymkhana Oval.

“It is not over,” said Otieno, a man who captained Kenya at the U-19 Level in 1998. “We have to remain calm and continue to do well over and over. There are areas we didn’t do well, when we panicked and where we failed to capitalise. We have to continue improving.”

Jittery momentsIndeed there were a couple of jittery moments in both innings. When Zephaniah Arinaitwe (42 off38) helped Uganda breeze to 55 inside 7 overs and then connived to lose three quick wickets to stay in a precarious situation at 85 for 3. The innings was revived by a 36-run fourth stand partnership between Steven Wabwose (44 off 59) and Waiswa (60 off 93) which was toppled by another one of 67 runs by the captain and all-rounder SirajeNsubuga (43 off 55) for the seventh wicket that ensured Uganda set 231.

Then although Kenya crumbled to 26 for 4 in the second innings. The 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Kenya captain Sachin Bhudia (52 off 66) and Thomas Ochieng (54 off 101) sent shivers down the Ugandan bowling’s spine and left the field in a disarray.

But Nsubuga (2/38 in 9.4 overs)’s clever dismissal of Bhudia (a caught and bowled) at 128 ignited Kenya’s collapse and the hosts were soon all out for 162 in 46.4 overs.Today, Kenya run into a wounded Ghana whereas Uganda face Botswana looking to make it four not out as they chase the continent’s lone slot to New Zealand for the World Cup early next year.

Aziz Damani hurried Charity Trust Fund off the oval for their second successive win to go top of the Jazz Safari National Cricket League by eight wickets at Kyambogo Oval with 13 points after three matches on March 26.

Their closest chasers Challengers, recovering from their last outing setback where they went down by nine wickets to Damani, bridged the gap to one point in an equally ruthless manner with an eight-wicket win over sorry Patidar Samaj at the lakeside Entebbe Oval. But Division II graduates Damani, who lost their opening game to Tornado Bee, own the bragging rights for now after recovering to pick up two wins on the bounce.

On Sunday, they bowled out a student-packed Charity Trust Fund for a basketball score of 47 thanks to classy seam-bowling spells of 6/17 and 3/17 from Man-of-the-Match Kenneth Waiswa and rejuvenated Emmanuel Isaneez. Charity didn’t help their cause with carefree batting as witnessed by their top order batters Simon Ssesaazi (17 off 23) and Varinder Singh (12 off 29) who gifted the opposition their wickets cheaply after getting starts.

Damani top order batters Arnold Otwani (16 off 15), Emmanuel Hasahya (13* off 22) and coach-player Steve Tikolo (8*) survived a few scores on their to victory inside nine overs. Across town in Entebbe, national team trainees Irfan Afridi (4/1) and David Wabwire (4/12) partnered to bowl out Patidar for 40 before Mohammed Aneef (18) and Arthur Kyobe (12*) breezed home in just four overs. In Jinja, Amos Kyazze and Emma Odeng helped Africa Cricket Club get off the mark with a 44-run win over JACC.

There was pre-election controversy over who was supposed to vote on behalf of KICC and whether the constitution was flouted by the late inclusion of Mukesh on the ballot. This prompted outgoing chairman Richard Mwami to swing his powerful willow into action by ‘throwing’ KICC out of the elective assembly till they resolve their in-house issues.

Mwami’s actions were however supported by the constitution that calls for clubs to offer their delegates and also gives a provision for nominations in the assembly as seen below.

Though KICC returned with Shukla and Hanumant Katkar as their delegates, there was no doubt when the former polled no vote that the Dr Sudhir Ruparelia-led club had hatched up a plan to swing the vote, which could have ended in a loathed draw. This development caught the assembly off guard given some Mukesh posters been littered in Sun Lounge room of Mukesh prior to the meeting. But there were no prizes for guessing whom they had voted when they celebrated Badu’s victory louder than anyone else.

“We are ready to take responsibility of our duties and actions. We shall bring peace in cricket through high levels of transparency,” Badu promised in his victory speech reading right through the mood of an assembly that gave their auditor George Ndiko a tough time consequently declining to return him for another term.

Incumbent Jeremy Kibuukamusoke was a lightweight for Eric Kamara, who outmuscled him 12 to 4 votes in the race for secretary. Ansasira and Kamara are scheduled to appoint the heads of the different serving committees including but not restricted to finance, technical, games, disciplinary and marketing, among others.

RULE OF LAW Any two members of an affiliated Club may propose candidates to take up offices by notice in writing to the Secretary at least seven days before the date of the meeting, and the Secretary shall forthwith post the same in the Association premises, with the exception that further nominations to offices can be made on the floor at the time of election, subject to the different Club’s rights created herein.

It was difficult to realise that both KICC and Charity Trust Fund were yet to lose in five National Men’s Twenty20 Cup ties as they faced off at Lugogo Oval on Sunday morning. All seemed ordinary until after midday when KICC went on to win by three runs in a very tense finish. The best had been saved for last.

“We put up the best display and deserved to win,” said KICC bowler Emmanuel Taban after he staved off the opposition when they needed nine runs to win off the last over.

Enroute to their sixth straight win in Group A, KICC skipper Hanumant Katkar had opted to bat first upon winning the toss. When opener Irfan Afridi was caught by Ronald Opio off Collin Abong (3/19) for a duck after two overs, Katkar backed his decision with a neat 37-ball 32*.

Teenager Siraj Nsubuga latter made five boundaries to top-score with 44 off 25 balls as the 2014 finalists KICC survived Varinder Singh (2/18) and Innocent Ndawula (2/9) to set 113-8. Charity bowlers’ donkey work seemed to go to waste when openers Opio and Edmond Musasizi departed for a combined eight runs after 2.1 overs. Varinder (30 off 27), captain Lawrence Ssempijja (18 off 22) and Roger Makwasi (14 off 23) all guided the team out of Egypt but the Promised Land seemed far.

With fans cheering, the Charity locker room on their feet and KICC players unfazed, the final batting combo of Abong (6* off 8) and Emma Kamya (8* off 8) failed to get the required 11 runs off the last 12 balls. “We were under pressure,” Abong said later after an exchange with some of his teammates. “The top order should have done better.”

Charity dusted themselves by beating Kutchi Tigers for a 25-run victory courtesy of superb bowling from the experienced Ndawula.

The chinaman took man-of-match honours after picking 3/13 off 22 deliveries that left Tigers staggering while chasing a target of 107. Across other venues, there were more nervy endings such as Mwiri chasing Avengers’ 163/8 to win by a wicket with a ball to spare in Budo. Similarly, Pirates’ Robinson Turinawe (3/22) helped Pirates defend their 145/9 against hosts JACC.

One game was done before lunch in Kyambogo. Then ACC got 165 thanks to a swashbuckling 19-ball 52 from Robert Okot but it was Aziz Damani, who without having to bat, that were awarded victory at the King’s College Budo Oval. ACC’s crime? They took to the field for the second innings with less than nine players in matching jerseys.

In Lugogo, relegation-threatened Tornado almost pulled off a heist chasing 260 for victory against Patidar Samaj but bad-light put paid to any of their hopes.

Such was the intensity with which all games were played on Sunday, cricket lovers were left wishing they could catch all of the National Men’s Cricket League action.Henry Ssenyondo single-handedly ensured that Challengers (48) remain atop the table with at least a 10-point cushion. The left-arm orthodox spinner prized out eight wickets as Wanderers collapsed for 73 runs.

Arthur Kyobe (35 off 24) and Mohammed Aneef (29 off 20) were unbeaten and brutal in the chase as Challengers sealed their eighth win of the season at Kyambogo.

At Lugogo, John Gabula (87 off 113) and Richard Okia (41 off 59) almost made Patidar pay for their clumsy fielding in the chase of 260 and the latter will have the umpires (Grace Mutyagaba and Michael Okoth) to thank for having extended time of play and forthwith helping them over the victory tape.

But the mother-of-all clashes was at the lakeside oval in Entebbe where a tense but low-scoring spectacle was played out between title hopefuls Nile and defending champions Tornado Bee. “We were lucky not to lose,” said Tornado Bee skipper Jeremy Kibuukamusoke. “We still have a game in hand but more work to do.” Due to the closure of Kampala-Entebbe highway, Nile and, umpires Paul Okecho and James Bamulese arrived late. The morning showers further reduced the game to 33 overs. Simon Ayella (2/11) and Ivan Kakande (3/18) restricted Tornado Bee to 91 runs in 29.5 overs. Nile batsmen, too, caved in to Deus Muhumuza (2/5), Roger Mukasa (2/19) and Davis Karashani (3/18) but their captain David Musoke (40 off 88) stayed firm.

He stuck in with last man Alvin Bagaya, needing five runs to win off Charles Waiswa’s (2/21) final over. Musoke flicked Waiswa to tie but Waiswa got Musoke caught behind, two balls later, for a fascinating tie.

Defending champions Tornado Bee find themselves in a spot of bother as the National Men’s Division One 50-Over League approaches the business end. In each of the past three seasons, Tornado Bee have been top of the league standings before emerging champions.

But a fourth straight title now looks unlikely for Tornado Bee. At halfway stage, the champions, with a game in hand, are second on the table with 34 points, eight behind toppers Challengers. Without a league crown to their name, Challengers seem to be the real deal this season. They appear determined to end Tornado Bee’s stranglehold on the title.

As the second round bowled off at the weekend, Challengers engaged a stronger gear, romping to a 104-run victory over 2011 champions Patidar Samaj at the Kyambogo Oval. “It was tense,” Challengers skipper Ivan Thawithemwira said after they ably defended 192 runs. “We did not score many runs but we had to defend the small total.” Opting to bat first, one would understand Thawi’s worries after the opening pair of Arthur Kyobe and Mohammed Aneef departed in a space of five balls.

The score board read 15-2 after 3.4 overs. Here, top season buy Hamu Kayondo reconstructed the innings with three boundaries and a six in a 38-ball 27.

“May be we got too excited before batting,” Kayondo stated. “The wicket looked good to play on but it was actually turning.” His 45-run fourth-wicket combo with Thawi (20 off 14) was supported by late solid knocks from Derrick Bakunzi (23 off 35) and Abraham Alema (24 off 58). Spinners Naseer Ahmad (3/12) and Henry Ssenyondo (3/16) crippled Patidar’s batsmen swiftly but only Gurang Patel (28 off 58) battled the wrath. They were eventually bowled out on the penultimate ball of the 33rd over.

Tornado Bee did not face sister side Tornado on Sunday after umpires Grace Mutyagaba and James Bamulese deemed the soggy Lugogo Oval a outfield unplayable. “Sewage flooded on the field,” Tornado Bee skipper Jeremy Kibuukamusoke revealed. Although they have a game in hand, Tornado Bee could plunge into a state of panic with Challengers showing no signs of faltering.

Unblemished record

It is the first time in four seasons that Tornabo Bee are starting the second round off the league summit. They are second behind Challengers but have a game in hand.